


Love You to the Moon (and to Saturn)

by august_seven



Category: Figure Skating RPF, Olympics RPF, Real Person Fiction
Genre: Alternate Universe, Best Friends, Childhood Friends, F/M, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, Young Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-05
Updated: 2020-09-05
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:28:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26207929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/august_seven/pseuds/august_seven
Summary: She can't be more than seven years old, she looks totally harmless. He's got two grade levels ahead of her, so this should be easy.
Relationships: Scott Moir & Tessa Virtue, Scott Moir/Tessa Virtue
Comments: 14
Kudos: 37





	Love You to the Moon (and to Saturn)

**Author's Note:**

> Because a certain song reminds me too much of them (can you guess what it is? 😉) and because I came across this stinking cute picture of Little Tessa:  
> https://www.instagram.com/p/BjKZBLalOos/?igshid=xjjv0xyfywaq
> 
> I know I should be working on my other story (and I am!), but this idea just wouldn't leave me alone. So, here we are.

* * *

"You gotta get that ball back, Scotty," Charlie says.

Scott glowers at him. It wasn't his fault it went so far off that it landed in the backyard of one of their neighbors.

"Don't call me that! I hate it when you call me that. Why do I have to get it? Danny threw it! I don't want to go in, we don't even know who lives there."

The old house had been empty for the longest time. It was poorly maintained, which added to the air of mystery that surrounded it. The family who lived there moved in over a month ago, but they hardly ever saw them.

"Unless you're scared, Little Scotty." Danny teases with a wink.

"I'm not! You're the scared one, why don't _you_ get it?!" The exasperation in his voice was apparent.

Charlie and Danny share a laugh. It seemed that his brothers were hell-bent on taking advantage of him being the youngest. 

"Sucks to be you then, baby bro." Danny claps his back. "Sorry bud, but I don't make the rules."

Scott lets out an angry huff, pushing off Danny's hand. He heads off and makes his way towards the massive fence obscuring the house from their view. If it hadn't been so tall then maybe the people living in it wouldn't be so mysterious.

He gets to the front gate and is surprised to see that it's wide open. Scott pokes his head inside and quickly scans the front yard. He finds a little girl reading under the shade of an oak tree. His eyes widen when he sees that her arm is wrapped around his ball.

He feels a tad bit possessive and decides to get back what's rightfully his. She can't be more than seven years old, she looks totally harmless. He's got two grade levels ahead of her, so this should be easy.

Scott marches up to the girl, folding his arms once he's standing in front of her. She looks up from her book, raising an eyebrow at his clear attempt of intimidating her. She's unfazed by it and simply closes her book.

"Is this yours?" She asks, patting the ball.

He nods, trying his best to keep a tough facade.

"Yeah, and I want it back."

She stands up and tosses the ball towards him.

"You should be careful where you're throwing that. It almost hit me on the head." She states matter-of-factly with a hand on her hip.

He nearly misses it as he finds himself staring at her. She's a very pretty girl, even for a second-grader, he thinks. She has on a huge floral bow, a blush tank top, and a layered tulle skirt. She must be a ballerina.

"I like your skirt." He says, not taking his eyes off the light pink article of clothing.

She tucks a stray hair behind her ear as she looks down on it, swaying lightly to show it off.

"Thanks. My mom got it for my ballet class. I just tried it on and I didn't want to take it off yet. My name's Tessa."

She extends her hand for him to take, like what grown-ups do when they introduce themselves. He smirks, shaking her hand.

"I'm Scott. I live a few blocks from here. Sorry about the ball." He apologizes. "Me and my brothers were playing around and Danny threw it so far away that it landed here." He explains.

She shrugs.

"It's okay. I don't know anyone else around here. We just moved here from London, so I don't have a lot of friends."

"Your skirt looks nice on you." 

A small smile forms on her lips and she tries to suppress it.

"What's it called?"

"A tutu."

"Tutu." He repeats. "I like it. Can I call you that?"

She wrinkles her nose. He worries that she might think he's teasing her. She's squinting a little which must be from the brightness of the afternoon sun. That, or she's skeptical about his intentions.

"I'm not really sure. I don't even know you yet."

He flashes her a sly grin.

"Let's change that. Tell you what, if I get to call you Tutu, then I'll be your friend. I'll play with you and you can come along to meet the other kids in the neighborhood!"

Her lips move to the side as if she's contemplating the idea, but the twinkle in her eye gives her away.

"Okay, Scott. I'll be your friend."

* * *

Over the next three years, Tessa and Scott become closer than ever. Scott finds that it's so much more fun to be with her. When they play together, he doesn't get picked on and he doesn't come last.

She sees him as an equal, not someone to compete with. He knows she's a lot smarter than he is, but he'll never tell her that. By the time they're ten and twelve, the two of them are practically inseparable

"Scott, get down from there. You're going to get hurt!"

She watches him as he stands atop the tree trunk, holding onto one of the large branches. 

"Climb up, Tutu! I can see the whole town from here!"

Scott marvels at the view while Tessa looks up at him from below. She likes to think that she's as brave as Scott. Truth is she wants to join him, badly, but her mother will be upset if she comes home with skinned knees and grass-stained clothes.

Things have been a bit rough at home and Tessa doesn't want to add to the burden if she accidentally falls off and injures herself. She just hopes she has enough self-control to resist Scott's invitation, because honestly? It sounds like an adventure.

"No, I'll get hurt too! Then we'll both be in trouble." She reasons. "Can't we just play down here?"

She hopes that he'll agree, but instead Scott shakes his head.

"Where's the fun in that? You said you wanted to go on an adventure, this is it! Come on, I'll help you up."

Scott lowers himself offers his hand for her to take. She lets out a breath, and tightly grips onto him, using her other hand to push herself up. He helps her find her footing, and soon enough they find themselves sitting next to each other on a sturdy branch, in awe of the sight before them.

"Wow," she breathes out. 

She's mesmerized by what she's seeing. Everything looks so different from where they are, even when she looks out at her balcony, it isn't like this. Maybe it's the thrill of doing something that isn't expected of her or the fact that she's doing it with someone she sees as her best friend.

Tessa wishes she could freeze this moment. Twenty feet above, the wind through their hair, and the look of wonder on Scott's face. She hopes the sun doesn't set too quickly, because then it will all be over.

"I know. It's awesome, isn't it?" Scott stands up and shouts. _"We're on top of the world!"_

She giggles, pulling on the hem of his shirt to get him to sit down.

"You mean on top of Ilderton? We can't even see the entire country if we tried."

Scott settles back down next to her.

"Way to burst my bubble, T."

A chuckle escapes her as she sways her legs back and forth.

"Thanks, Scott. I liked this, let's do it again soon."

"As you wish, Princess Tutu." 

He bows and spreads his arms, just as Westley had done in The Princess Bride. It wasn't the type of movie he would willingly watch as films like Bloodsport were more his speed.

Then one day, Tessa talked his ear off about how much she loved it and even convinced his mother to go see it. Alma rented the movie the following day and he snuck out of bed that night to watch from behind the couch.

Tessa laughs a big bright laugh. Head thrown back, eyes shut, and just downright adorable. For a girl as small as she was, Tessa's laughter was anything but.

She must have laughed too hard because she nearly falls out of her place. Tessa's eyes go wide and she gasps, her heart stops for a moment and her body goes cold. She hardly feels the arm that has wrapped itself around her back from the shock of almost falling to the ground.

"I got you, T. I won't let you fall."

She realizes that her hands have instinctively found their way at the back of his neck. When and how it happened, she isn't quite sure. All she knows is that she's breathing heavily and Scott's hazel eyes are looking right into hers.

Then it's his turn to laugh.

They pull away, and suddenly she's a little self-conscious. Her hand moves up to her cheek.

"What's wrong? Is there something on my face?" He shakes his head and beams.

"I just learned that your eyes are green, and that..." he trails off. "You're a little clumsy." 

Tessa feels her face go red and promptly looks away. Scott senses her unease and places a comforting hand on her shoulder. 

"Hey, Tutu, I didn't mean it like a bad thing. It's just– you're a ballerina so you're graceful and all that. I guess that doesn't go very far outside the dance studio."

Her lips curve upward, she doesn't even try to hide her amusement. Scott has her to a tee and she knows that she can be her genuine self with him.

"Yeah, they tell me that."

She catches him staring at her again. Normally she would think that that kind of behavior was rude. Tessa was taught that it's impolite to stare, but this is Scott, and for some reason, she doesn't feel strange that he's looking at her like that.

His hand moves forward to gently brush under her left eye. He holds out his finger to show her.

"An eyelash." Scott moves it closer to her. "Make a wish."

She closes her eyes for a while. Tessa knows that Scott doesn't believe in those things. He teases her whenever she stops to pick up a penny on the sidewalk or when she wears a safety pin for good luck.

He thinks it's silly, but today he gives into her superstition. It must be extra good luck for Scott to let her have this, so she has to make her wish count.

Tessa opens her eyes and blows the loose eyelash away. Scott seems satisfied.

"What did you wish for?"

She shakes her head, zips her lips, and pretends to throw away an imaginary key.

"Can't tell ya, or else it won't come true."

Scott chuckles and begins to slowly make his way down the tree while helping her in the process. Once he reaches the ground, he lifts her by the waist and puts her back on her feet.

Scott is strong. He could easily be her dance partner if he did ballet too. They would have made a great pair and potentially become the company's principal dancers in about ten years or so. Maybe she should have wished for that instead.

She brushes off the idea. She likes Scott this way. A total goofball whose main mission is to constantly make her laugh and let her see things in a new light. She stands firm on her wish and hopes she gets to have more adventures with him by her side.

* * *

"Hey, T. Watch this!"

Scott pushes his feet back as far as he can and launches himself in the air. He sticks his landing and salutes to an invisible crowd.

"Pretty cool, eh kiddo? With moves like that, I bet I could win the Olympics." 

His joke falls flat when he sees that Tessa's eyes are still downcast.

His thirteen year old mind has thought of just about everything to make her smile. He's told her half a dozen jokes and a handful of embarrassing stories about him and his brothers that he was sure were comedy gold. Still, the pout on her lips remained and he was beginning to worry. 

"Tessa," he begins.

That gets her attention. He doesn't normally call her that, opting to go for the countless nicknames he had made up for her. She turns to him with a defeated look on her face. The kind when she has a bad day at school or a difficult time in ballet class, except this one is different. He can tell she's nervous.

"Tutu, what's wrong?"

She looks down at her lap, gripping onto the swing tighter.

"Promise you won't tell anyone?" 

Her words are barely above a whisper and he knows it's serious. He nods, brushing his fingertips on his chest.

"Cross my heart and hope to die."

Tessa's eyes widen, whipping her head up to face him.

"No, don't say that!" She says in an octave higher. "I don't want you to die."

There's a crack in her voice at the end and he is quick to assure her that he didn't mean anything by it.

"Chill, T. It's just a saying." 

He rubs her arm and she sighs, moving her gaze away.

"Well, I don't like it. You should think of a new one."

Scott shrugged, he should have been careful. He knew she believed that whatever you willed into the universe would eventually come true, and this only fuelled her worries.

"I'll work on it." He reassures her. "What did you wanna say?" 

She bows her head and swallows hard. He sees that tears have pooled at the corner of her eyes.

"Sometimes I don't feel like going home. My parents have been fighting more and more every day and I get scared when my dad starts yelling."

Before he even knew that Tessa and her family had lived there, he would pass by and hear angry, muffled sounds. He used to believe that the house was haunted, but he knew better now. 

"When it gets too loud, I hide in the closet. It's the quietest place in the house." She continues. "I close my eyes and wish really hard that they would stop. I want it to be over so bad and I want to get away from it."

Scott had heard his own parents talking about the Virtues. There'd been talk about the animosity between them, back and forth discussions leaning towards divorce, and how they chose to stay together for as long as they had for the sake of their daughter.

It all sounded awful. He could only imagine how Tessa must feel to witness the situation firsthand. He saw her as his best friend and felt the strong urge to protect her from the pain she was going through.

Tessa swipes at her eyes and he feels his heart sink. He has to do something about it.

"We'll run away from here, then. Where have you always wanted to go, T?"

She gives him a look of disbelief like she's certain that he's pulling her leg with his insane proposal, but Tessa doesn't have the emotional capacity to argue any further.

"I don't know." 

"What about that place with a huge white castle from that book you showed me earlier?"

Scott scrambles to his feet, rummaging through Tessa's bag to find said book. Tessa doesn't even reprimand him for invading her personal belongings. He pulls the book out and quickly flips through it.

"This one!" 

He points to the picture of a colossal, ivory-white palace. She looks closer and realizes that he had been referring to the Taj Mahal.

"India?"

"Yeah, we could move there! Or anywhere you want to go."

Tessa is quiet for a moment then decides to play along.

"Paris sounds like a good idea."

He recognizes that quote. She has a clipping of it in her journal along with cutouts of Audrey Hepburn.

_"Oui, oui, madame!"_

His French accent is laughable, but it gets a smile out of her, and even a subtle eye roll.

"It's _mademoiselle,_ Scott. I'm not married." 

"Well maybe in this story you are." Her eyebrow quirks up.

"To whom?"

He shrugs. She scoffs and shakes her head.

"Where to, then, _monsieur_?"

She offers her hand and he brings it to his lips, pressing a chaste kiss on it. It's what the princes in her favorite fairytales do, and to him, she's a princess.

They conjure up a role-play of sorts as they go through the French section of the book. They visit the Eiffel tower, eat at the finest patisseries, and shop at every high-end boutique.

"Try on the beret, T!"

He hands her the imaginary hat and she goes along, putting it on her head.

"What do you think?" 

She fluffs her hair and strikes a pose. Scott might be a little biased, but he thinks Tessa is the most beautiful girl he's ever seen. Though it isn't just her beauty that's admirable to him. She's smart, kind, and hilarious when she wants to be. He feels lucky to call her his best friend.

" _Tres_ _chic,_ Tutu!"

He mimes snapping photos on a pretend camera as she models for him. They share a laugh before directing their attention back to the book.

He feels Tessa looking at him, but he fixes his gaze on the page about the river Seine.

"Hey, Scott? Thanks for this. I feel a lot better."

He smiles, putting one arm around her and pulling her close. He wishes he could give her more than a temporary escape, but he hopes that for now, this is enough for her.

"Anything for you, T."

Scott sees her smile from his peripheral view and feels her head leaning on his shoulder.

"Now, how good are your rowing skills?"

* * *

They spend the next summer apart. Tessa informs him that she's been accepted to the National Ballet's summer program. He's thrilled and tells her how proud he is and that he didn't doubt that she would make it, 

"I'm not sure if you can call it good news, Scott. We won't see each other for a long time." 

"Of course it's great news, this is your dream, T! Don't worry about that, we'll write letters and I'll call you. Time will pass by so quickly, we won't even notice it."

His enthusiasm does little to assuage her fears, but she trusts him.

"Do you promise?"

He raises his open palm and brushes his fingers over his chest with the other hand.

"Cross my heart and hope to fly."

She forces a smile and wraps her arms around him. Scott hugs her back and she wishes she doesn't have to go.

"I'm going to miss you a lot." She murmurs.

"Me too, but you'll be back in no time, and I'll be right here waiting."

The days feel longer without Tessa around. Sometimes he rides his bike past her house out of habit then remembers that she's away at ballet camp. His buddies are a riot and he has a great time with them, but sometimes he just misses Tessa's warm and gentle presence.

True to his word, Scott writes to her whenever he can.

_Dear Tutu,_

_How are you? Not much has changed around here, but it is kinda boring without you. Ma took me, Charlie, and Danny to the rink last week to watch my cousin Sheri and her partner compete. They came in second for the junior ice dance division. It was okay, I guess. The spins and lifts were cool and all, but it's not for me._

_I can't really see myself skating, but you would definitely rock it. You would dance perfectly on the ice and leave everyone amazed, just like you did at your last recital._ _I hope you're not beating yourself up too much there, you're the best dancer I know. You'll knock all the other girls out of the park, for sure! Or the dance studio?_

_See you real soon, T._

_Love,_

_Scott_

Weeks pass by without a reply from Tessa. She's probably too busy with training to remember to write back. He knows she's met new friends there, but hopefully not a boy who she finds more interesting than him.

He checks the mailbox one day and is ecstatic to find a letter from her. Scott heads to his room and hastily tears through the envelope.

_Dear Scott,_

_Sorry I didn't write back sooner. They didn't allow us to receive any calls or letters for the first few weeks. It was really hard. I think I cried myself to sleep every night because I miss everyone there so much. But I've gotten better at it. I just keep telling myself that I'll be coming home soon._

_The routines and combinations are very challenging, but I'm learning a lot. I learned to sew the ribbons on my pointe shoes too, but I did prick myself a few times. I'm okay though, nothing a band-aid can't fix. We also have to budget our allowance for treats, which is torture for a chocoholic like me._

_That sounds wonderful! Give Sheri and her partner my congratulations. I've only watched ice dance on TV, you're lucky you got to see it up close. I think you'd make a good dancer. Maybe you could even help me practice if I ever need a partner._

_I can't wait to see you again, Scott._

_Yours,_

_Tess XO_

* * *

Tessa unpacks her luggage. She neatly returns her clean clothes and tosses the dirty laundry in the hamper. She sees to it that her tights and leotards are carefully stored and smooths away the wrinkles.

She feels giddy about seeing Scott. She hadn't told him when she was coming back, having planned to surprise him when the day finally came. Once everything is back in its place, she makes her way downstairs.

"Mom, I'm going to Scott's."

She's nearly at the door when Kate sees her.

"Already? You just got back."

"Yeah, I'm going there to surprise him!" She beams. "I can't wait to tell him that I'm finally back for good."

Her mother purses her lips and folds her arms. Kate takes a seat on the sofa and motions for Tessa to do the same.

"Sweetheart," Kate begins. "There's something you need to know."

* * *

Scott takes out his bike from the garage that afternoon. He's halfway to the sidewalk when he spots her. It takes a second before his mind registers what he's seeing. Then it hits him. 

_"Tutu!"_

He instantly drops the bicycle and runs up to her. Scott hugs her so fiercely as if he's afraid that she'd vanish into thin air if he even dared to let go. He decides that this is the best surprise he has ever gotten because this is his Tessa, and she's nothing short of perfect.

His excitement gets the best of him that he almost doesn't notice her quiet sniveling. He pulls back gently to find her puffy eyes and tear-stricken cheeks. Scott's face falls upon seeing her in distress.

"What's wrong, T?" 

She remains silent, wiping her tears through ragged breaths. He pulls her in for another hug, reminding her that he's there and that she was going to be okay.

"You're alright, Tess, don't cry. We should be celebrating 'cause you're back!"

He feels her shaking her head and his words seem to only make her cry harder. He puts a protective arm around Tessa, guiding her towards the front of their house.

Scott keeps her close as they sit on the steps of the porch. He gives her all the time she needs to let out her feelings and find her voice again. Her sobs are reduced to sniffles and she regains her composure.

"My parents are getting a divorce."

His heart breaks for her. He couldn't say that he didn't see this coming, given how often her parents argued, but still. It was a lot to take in and now Tessa's life was bound to change drastically.

"There's something else..." She trails off in between hiccups. "We're moving."

A chill runs down his spine. This isn't just a month and a half of ballet camp anymore. She'll be in a completely different place.

_"What?"_

His voice croaks out of sheer disbelief. It had already been difficult for him to be away from her then. The chances of seeing her again now would become more and more uncertain once they moved. 

Scott isn't sure what to feel about it. What he first thought was a pleasant surprise of being reunited was quickly turning into his worst nightmare.

Tessa lets out a breathy sigh, wiping the tears from her face.

"They're already planning on selling the house and we're leaving next week. They just waited for me to come back from camp before telling me." She explains tearfully. "Mom wants us to move as soon as we can, just in time for us to start school there."

Scott tries his hardest to steel his emotions. He has to be the strong one for both of them right now.

"How far will you be? Will you come visit?"

Tessa swallows thickly and wraps her arms around herself. She keeps her gaze to the ground. She's afraid to look him in the eye, knowing full well that all she'll see is the pain and disappointment etched on his face.

"We're moving to Michigan, Scott."

He's in shock. She isn't just moving to another town or a different city, but an entirely different country. He continues to stare at her. He doesn't have the words to respond, but his mind is running a mile a minute in every direction possible.

"I'm sorry, Scott. I'm so sorry."

She buries her face in her hands and she cries. Scott wraps his arms around her, comforting her as best as he can all while keeping his feelings in check.

"Tess, it's okay. It's not your fault. I know it sucks. I'm sad too. But hey," he lifts her chin so she could face him. "We'll make the most of our time together."

She bites her lip and pauses to think. Before she can even say anything, Scott has his hand in hers, leading her to his fallen bicycle. He stands it up and gets on it. He pats the cushioned seat behind him.

"Hop on, Tutu."

She contemplates joining him, worrying that the two-wheeled vehicle might not be enough to support the two of them. Scott chuckles as he senses her hesitance.

"Trust me, T, we'll be fine. When have I ever let you fall?" 

She gives him a shy smile. He's right, and she does have faith in him. She settles herself behind him and puts her hands on his waist.

"Just hold on to me, Tess." 

* * *

She shrieks with glee as they ride down the block and all through the neighborhood. He's going fast enough that her half-braided hair blows in the wind, but not enough to make her frantic with worry.

In that moment, she forgets all her troubles. All she knows is that this is the most fun she's had all summer, maybe even in a long time. Scott is good at that. He always finds ways to make her smile and she's glad to have him in her life.

A pang of sadness builds inside her at the thought of losing him. This will all just be a memory once she moves away. She pushes down those thoughts and simply enjoys the time they have now. She has to make these moments count.

Scott stops and parks the bike underneath their favorite tree. He jumps off and helps her down. Tessa dusts her shirt and jeans off and looks at Scott.

"How about we go up there? Like old times."

She nods without a second thought. Tessa isn't scared of climbing trees anymore. She's older and braver now, and with Scott, she knows she can do anything.

When they get to the top, they look out at the town with a sense of peace. Scott looks at her like he's studying her face. She looks on at the sight before her, pretending she doesn't notice.

Tessa wants him to keep staring, because she doesn't want him to forget what she looks like, what she sounds like, who she is, and everything they've been through together.

They sit in silence, wordlessly taking in the view and each other's company. They stay like that until the sun begins to set.

"I don't want to go," she whispers.

"Me too, kiddo."

He slings an arm over her and she rests her head on his shoulder. 

"Will you forget me, Scott?"

He shakes his head.

"Never. You're my best friend, Tutu, and you're not someone I could easily forget."

She smirks and straightens herself to face him. 

"Really? What makes me so unforgettable, then?"

Scott is slightly taken aback by her sudden boldness to fish for compliments, but it ultimately makes him laugh.

"Don't make me say it, T."

She scoffs and pokes him in the ribs, prodding him to answer her question.

"Come on, I want to hear it! This might be your only chance to tell me."

He gives her a look, and it's not a look she's familiar with. It's the first time she's seeing it on him. It's almost like this one look is reserved just for her. 

"You're an amazing dancer, Tess, the most talented person I know. You have a way with words and you always know the right things to say. You're smart, nice, and funny without even trying. Not a lot of people know that about you, but I do, and I'm lucky." 

Her lips part slightly. She feels a little breathless at his words.

"And you're gorgeous, inside and out. I know you won't believe me, but it's true. You're one of a kind, Tessa Virtue."

She feels heat rising to her cheeks. Tessa knows Scott as the silly neighborhood boy who's always running about. Seeing this serious, almost vulnerable, side of him only makes her love him even more.

_Love?_

What does she know about that? Her parents are hardly an example of it and she's barely in her teen years yet. Why does this suddenly cross her mind? And yet when she looks at him, what she feels goes far beyond friendship. Her heart beats a little faster, butterflies are going crazy inside her, and she's rendered speechless.

Suddenly his hand is over hers and he moves a little closer. She can't peel her eyes away from his, and before she knows it he leans in. She feels as if her heart could beat out of her chest. Her breath hitches as Scott's lips brush against hers in the gentlest, most endearing way.

A wave of calm washes over her. It's like removing her pointe shoes after a brutal practice session, the smell and feel of fresh linen as she basks in newly-washed sheets, or her head hitting the pillow as she settles in bed knowing the woes of the day are long behind her. Those little joys.

It's simple, but it's bliss.

She doesn't realize that her eyes are closed until she opens them up and sees him smiling, and the world stops for the two of them.

It's then that she decides it's Scott she wants to watch sunsets with, it's him she wants to take her on spontaneous bike rides, and it's his laugh she wants to hear in the good times and his shoulder to cry on in the bad.

Scott drops her off when it's already dark out and Tessa can only imagine how livid her parents will be. She can't find it in her to care when she's so deeply content.

She had only expected to come home from camp that day, but with Scott, she walks away with so much more. It's something she knows will stay with her forever. 

* * *

The day Tessa leaves is the moment Scott feels a part of him has been ripped away. He rides his bike to her house and sees them loading up the car. She looks on with a hollow expression, her hands deep in her pockets.

"Tutu!"

She snaps from her reverie and locks eyes with him. Tessa quickly makes her way towards him and he runs to her, dropping the bicycle in his haste. They meet halfway and they entwine their arms around each other. She's shaking in his arms and he presses a kiss in her hair.

"I guess this is goodbye."

Tessa shakes her head and holds him tighter.

"I wish I didn't have to go."

There's a lump in his throat. His emotions threaten to spill out as he musters all his courage for what he's about to say next.

"Tess, I–" he stammers. 

She looks up at him, cheeks tinged pink, and eyes shining with unshed tears. The words are at the tip of his tongue.

"I lo–"

"Tessie, let's go."

They turn around and find Kate standing by the driver's seat, waiting for Tessa to get in the car. He rubs the side of her arms and tells her it's time.

"Go on, T. It's only gonna be a lot harder if we fight it."

She buries her face in his chest, hot tears sliding down her face. He strokes her hair, willing his own tears away. She shudders in his embrace.

"No!" She protests tearfully.

It nearly kills him to see her like this. Suddenly, he finds himself wishing on every shooting star he's ever seen, every loose eyelash he's ever come across, and every shiny penny he'd refused to throw in the well to get Tessa to stay.

"Tessa Jane," Kate calls out more firmly this time.

Scott pulls her hands away from him, grasping her fists in front of them. He squeezes them tenderly and brings it to his lips.

"I'll write and I'll call, just like before." 

She nods and takes a deep breath. Tessa smooths her jacket and walks to the car. Scott doesn't go after her. He merely watches as she gets inside and shuts the door, looking back at him from the window.

The engine starts sometime later and his feet move to their own accord, bringing him closer and closer to the car. They pick up their pace once they drive away, and before he knows it, he's running.

_"Tessa!"_

He runs and runs until his legs give out. He falls to his knees and when he looks up, the car has disappeared from his view. Powerful, gut-wrenching sobs wrack his body. 

Tessa had practically been an extension of himself. Now he doesn't know who he is without his best friend. The last five years flash in his mind, and he suddenly feels older. Tessa took a part of his childhood along with her.

No, she _was_ his childhood. With her gone, he knows that he has to grow up now. But maybe she had been a part of his growing up too. He's become more compassionate, thoughtful, and mature all with the help of the girl he loves. 

_Love_

He had been so caught up in his misery to realize that he hadn't made his feelings known to her. Would he still get the chance to? And with that, he cries. He doesn't care who sees him in this pitiful state, all he knows is that he feels regret. He lets out a guttural scream from deep within and grieves the loss of the first and only girl he had truly come to love.

**Author's Note:**

> Whaddaya think? Not sure if this counts as a songfic, but I definitely pulled a lot of inspiration from _seven._
> 
> Apologies for any mistakes as it is unbeta'd and I was too excited to write and post everything today!
> 
> Thanks for reading! ❤


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